


Not a Life Without You

by zzariyo



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: AU where Link and Revali were together before the Calamity, AU where Link gets a bunch more memories after every boss fight, Alive Champions (Legend of Zelda), Arguing, Cuddling & Snuggling, Death from Old Age, Domestic Fluff, Engagement, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Language of Flowers, M/M, Moving In Together, Reunions, Sacrifice, Valentine's Day Fluff, Weddings, wow zack is actually using tags??, wow zack isnt just writing angst?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-02-16 07:13:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18686662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zzariyo/pseuds/zzariyo
Summary: After defeating Windblight Ganon, all of Link's memories of Revali crash over him. He remembers the days when they were deeply in love and all the promises they had made to each other before the Calamity cut their love story short. And as much as he wanted to stay on Vah Medoh with Revali, he had a kingdom to save.Months after Ganon's defeat, Zelda and Link are traveling Hyrule together, still trying to rebuild the kingdom that Ganon destroyed. They reminiscence about the times they shared with their friends and cry over their deaths.Until one night, something occurs to Link.Ganon had sacrificed its incarnations to become a supreme being of power and malice, so couldn't he make the same sacrifice?To bring the Champions back?To bringRevaliback?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> hewwo hewwo hewwo who's ready for another revalink fic ? ?? ᕕ(ᐛ )ᕗ NOT ME  
> anyway, this is for [ DipperCipher](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DipperCipher) on ao3, aka [ bluetonguedskinkthings ](https://bluetonguedskinkthings.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!!!!! You can thank them for the shenanigans that will come to pass  
> this whole thing is planned out, so the writing will be...significantly smoother than with my other works... LOL

 

 

It was weird.

It was weird how there was this insatiable uneasiness, perhaps even fear, that Link felt towards the idea of going through the Tabantha Frontier to reclaim Vah Medoh.

The idea of going there, on Rito soil, to Champion Revali's old home and save his Divine Beast frightened him somehow. So much so that he felt his stomach twist and turn, flip and flop, as he rode north after restoring Vah Naboris.  

He hadn't felt this way about traveling to the other corners of Hyrule and saving the other Champions and their Divine Beasts from Ganon and its Blight. In fact, he looked forward to freeing the machines from Ganon’s influence and allowing the late Champions to take back control and help him.

After he defeated Waterblight to take back Vah Ruta and save Hyrule from being flooded over, a wave of past memories flooded over him and suddenly he remembered his friendship with Mipha and everything that they had been through together. And so when she as a specter appeared right after, smiling at him with that soft smile of hers, he was overcome with joy at seeing her again. Even though it was painful recounting the fall of the Zora princess, his dear friend, to remember her and to see her brought a warmth to his chest that he hadn’t felt at all since he had woken up in the Shrine of Resurrection.

And once Mipha gave him the power of her Grace and they bid each other farewell after their bittersweet reunion, Link left, eager to restore the other Divine Beasts to their former glory and give them back to their rightful owners; learning more about his past, his companions, and their adventures together along the way. Hope began to bloom where he had felt so empty after he awakened to find himself alone in this vast world.

However, he did not feel the same way about Vah Medoh. Somehow, it felt like Tabantha was a forbidden ground that he dared not enter. An anxiety he did not understand swamped his mind whenever he even _thought_ about going there.

He didn’t get why that was.

From the few memories he had regained so far during his travels, it seemed like Revali found him distasteful; always regarding him with disdain even when he was trying to show off. It looked like, unlike with the other Champions, there wasn’t any kind of friendship or companionship there, but instead, a rivalry if anything.

Although, there was something about that that had felt... _off_ to Link. It felt that there was much more to the story of him and the Rito. Like all he saw was a half-truth. An unfinished story.

But it all made sense once Link finished off Windblight and it drew its very last breath before it became nothing but dust.

And then the wave came.

The wave of distant memories crashed over him and the riptide of reminiscence and remembrance took him over. Rocking him back and forth as forgotten memories flooded into his mind.

As he remembered Revali.

Remembered his love for Revali.

Remembered the love that they had shared.

Remembered how, despite Revali’s rotten attitude at the beginning, they had gotten closer.

And closer.

And closer.

So close that even Link had felt something change between them and felt his heart race when Revali was close and ache when Revali was gone.

He had noticed how Revali seemed to soften during their time together and that he started to smile so much more often.

And his smile had shone so, so brightly. It was as bright and beautiful as the stars they had laid under when, finally, they had confessed to one another.

They confessed to each other, admitting out loud how deeply they had fallen in love and how there was no one else in the world that could ever make them feel the way they did.

Link remembered how that, after that, they were inseparable. Unbreakable. Every day felt like a dream when they were together.

He remembered the silly, romantic promises they made to each other. How Revali promised to fly up, up into the sky and capture all of the stars for Link for his upcoming birthday. How Link, trying to sound just as poetic, promised to collect every single piece of the world that shared his colors and cherish them. How they promised that once this was all over, they would elope, run away, build a house in a beautiful forest and live out the rest of their lives together totally encompassed with each other’s love.

But that had all stopped abruptly.

The Calamity ended their love story before it could finish, and war, death, malice and cruel fate ripped them apart. Killed Revali and sent Link into a century-long slumber.

 

Before he could even process it all, hiccups and sobs rose out from Link’s throat and hot tears streamed down his cheeks. His vision was so foggy that he could barely see Revali when he appeared, a ghostly teal silhouette.

Remembering that wonderful, warm love that was cut short was too much to bear, and the fact that the spirit of the person he had shared that with was right in front of him shattered Link’s soul.

He had died.

Revali had died.

The person he wanted to be with until the end of time _died._

And Link let that happen.

“Hello, Link,” Revali said, the pain in his voice clear. Even through the tears, Link could see his beak was curled into his typical smirk. “So you finally remember me.”

Link wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch him. To hold him. By gods, to _kiss him._

But when he scrambled forward to wrap his arms around the man that he loved with all his heart and soul, his arms phased through.

And he cried more, his vision becoming even mistier.

“No, no, no...R-Revali!” Link wailed, still trying so hard to grab onto Revali so he could never let him go ever again.

Revali looked down at him with a face so full of sorrow and hurt. He held his hands in front of him and shushed Link, trying to calm him when it was clear he was falling apart himself. _“Shhh._ Link, love, it’s alright. _Shhh,_ don’t cry. Please, don’t cry.”

“It’s _not_ okay!” Link screamed. “You died! You’re gone! And I could’ve saved you!”

“It’s not your fault. Don’t you ever believe that it’s your fault. I wasn’t fast enough and Ganon bested me,” Revali tried to soothe.

“But, I...B-But...I could’ve-”

Revali stopped Link by bringing up a finger and putting it to his lips.

“You did everything you could, and what you did was amazing. What you’re doing _now_ is amazing, Link.” He stepped closer and leaned down, meeting his eyes with Link. “I’m so proud of you, getting this far and doing so much all on your own.” He stifled a chuckle. “I’m surprised that a knucklehead like you has even gotten this far, but I’m proud all the same.”

“Thanks,” Link laughed weakly and rubbed his runny nose with his sleeve. Up he looked into Revali’s eyes that were as gorgeous and green as he remembered. He stared at him for a while, trying to come up with something, anything, he could say to him. Nothing of worth came to him, so he simply choked out, “I love you,” which said a thousand words in of itself.

Revali’s beak curled into a genuinely happy smile. “And I love you most,” he said softly, but then looked out into the horizon with distant eyes for a moment. When he looked back at Link, his smile had faded and all that was left was another mournful expression. “It’s time for you to go, Link. The princess is waiting.”

“What?! No! I’m not leaving you!” Link tried to hold onto Revali again, but of course found his hands empty. The tears that had momentarily stopped continued again. “I can’t!”

“Link, stop. Please don’t make this harder than it has to be,” Revali snapped, but his pain broke his voice.

“I can’t just leave you again!” Link sobbed. “I...I can just stay here. I’ll...I-I’ll…”

“Link.”

“I’ll just stay here with you. And...And I can…”

_“Link.”_

“...I can figure something out. I could-”  
_“Link!”_

Link instantly went quiet and turned his head up to see Revali staring down at him. At first, he looked almost angry, but then his face softened and his voice became smooth.

“As much as I want you to stay with me...As much as I want us to be together, you have to go. Zelda is still waiting for you and you have a big role to fulfill.”

“But, I don’t _want_ to be a hero! I want to be with you!” Link’s words became sobs that were so indiscernible that he almost couldn’t understand himself. “I still want to get married! I want to run away with you! I want to build that house that you always wanted! Like we _promised!”_

Revali’s eyebrows crinkled together and he smiled a smile that was both so beautiful and so sad. “And I want the same. But you have to go now. Fulfill your duty and _live.”_ He raised a hand to wipe away the tears on Link’s cheek, forgetting that he was a transparent spirit for a moment. “Live your life to the fullest for me.”

“B-But, Revali…” Link whimpered. “I can’t...not without you.”

“You can and you must. It’s over for me, but Hyrule still needs you,” Revali said, closing his eyes and looking away from Link. He brought a hand to his chest to slowly take out a green orb decorated with the symbol of Vah Medoh. “Take my Gale. It’ll help you.”

The orb floated from Revali’s hands to Link’s chest. Instantly, wind blew from under Link’s feet and he could feel the power of the skies inside of him. But he stayed grounded, desperate to stay with Revali. “No...No... _Revali…”_

“You have to go. You have to defeat Ganon. Rid Hyrule of it once and for all.”

Everything started to turn white and Link looked down, horrified to see the tips of his fingers and his feet turning bright blue and disappearing. He was teleporting off of Vah Medoh against his will. “No, no, no, _please-”_

His vision was fading even more, no matter how hard he fought to stay there. To stay with Revali.

He continued to cry for Revali as his body continued to fade and disintegrate.

And Revali smiled at him, despite the sadness that darkened his emerald eyes.

“I’m sorry that I failed, Link. I hope you can forgive me.”

Link tried to tell him that he didn’t fail, that there was nothing to forgive him for, but his own sobs drowned out his words.

“Go on without me. Do what I couldn’t.”

Link, almost completely gone, reached out for Revali, shouting out his name so loudly that his throat burned.

The last thing he saw before his vision went completely white was Revali smirking at him before turning around.

“You're already my hero, but now you have to go out and prove that I have good taste.”

And then he was gone.

And he found himself back onto the ground far below Vah Medoh, his emotions twisting in his insides and threatening to buckle his knees.

And he wished that he never remembered. That all of his memories stayed forgotten.

And he wished that he had never woken up.

 

 

 

 


	2. Sacrifice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmmrrghjffffhhhhjgfjghh hi hello  
> this took. longer than it should have. kyah  
> wittle weminder that this is for [ DipperCipher](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DipperCipher) on ao3, aka [ bluetonguedskinkthings ](https://bluetonguedskinkthings.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!! thank you for being so patient with me oh my GOD

 

 

It was a cold, still night at the Zora’s Domain.

The stars above were twinkling brightly,  hanging in the sky that had long since turned dark from the sun’s setting.

Zelda and Link, only having each other in this new Hyrule, stuck close together throughout their travels since Ganon's defeat a month ago. Now they were staying at the Domain to aid King Dorephan and Prince Sidon in repairing the damage that Vah Ruta had done to Rutala Dam.

But Link couldn’t find her anywhere that night.

She wasn’t in her room, and when he asked the king and the prince, they didn’t know her whereabouts either.

And Link, worried that something had happened to her, began his search in the Domain until he finally found her.

Standing in front of Champion Mipha’s statue, glossy eyes fixated on the stone Zora’s face. She was completely silent but her pained expression and the way she held her hands together said a thousand words.

Without saying anything, Link walked over and stood beside her, following Zelda’s eyes and looking up at the statue’s face. Her gaze never broke; she never turned her head to acknowledge Link’s presence.

They stood there quietly for a moment with the brisk night wind whistling and gracefully tossing their hair back and forth. Crickets chirped and nightjars called in the distance as Link stared, feeling a distant sense of guilt slowly creeping up his spine at seeing Mipha’s face.

But then, breaking the silence, Zelda eventually whispered, “Do you ever think about them?”

 _What a silly question to ask,_ Link thought.

They were all he ever thought about. His mind was practically haunted by his old friends and by old Hyrule in general.

And when things were especially still, when there was nothing to distract Link, he thought of Revali and the future they had meticulously planned out together.

He would never admit it out loud, but there had been nights where he cried himself to sleep, drowsiness and fatigue unable to combat the ever creeping sense of guilt and remorse that was always right around the corner waiting until his defenses were down.

“All the time,” he answered.

Zelda let out a long, soft breath. “I really thought that I could move on. That I could easily do what everyone says and ‘Live on and find happiness because that is what they would want’.” She sniffed. “But that’s impossible. How am I supposed to move on after everything that has happened? How am I supposed to find happiness when I feel this unshakable sadness in the pit of my stomach?”

Zelda began to break. She let out another sniff that became a quiet dry sob and then she rubbed at her eyes to fight against the tears that tried to break through.

Link stepped closer to her and put his arm around her shoulder to pull her close to his side. “Me, too,” he steadily said, even when he felt the same tears trying to push from the corners of his eyes.

“Do...Do you think…” She began between shaky breaths, shuffling closer into Link. “Do you think that we actually could have won, or were we doomed to fail from the start?”

Link thought for a moment. He didn’t have an answer.

But then he opened his mouth and thoughtlessly said in a low voice, “I think it was just what fate wrote for us.” 

Zelda gripped onto Link’s tunic and dug her face into his chest. He could feel her wet tears through the cotton of his shirt.

“Well, I _hate_ fate! It was wrong! They didn’t deserve to die... _nobody_ deserved to die!” Her words were so warbled from her wailing that it was hard to understand what she was saying. “I should’ve been the one that died. I was too weak and useless! I still am.”

“No, don’t say that,” Link began, even though he had felt the same way about himself. “You aren’t weak or useless. You were able to keep Ganon at bay for an entire century by yourself.” He pat her head, smoothing down her golden hair. “Someone who was weak and useless wouldn’t be able to do that. You’re strong, Zelda. You really are.”

Zelda dug herself further into Link. “What’s the point of being strong if I can’t protect the kingdom I am meant to serve?! Or protect the people that I love?!” She began sobbing again and all Link could do was hold her closer. “Fate made a mistake. _Hylia_ made a mistake. I bring shame to my bloodline. I never should have been granted the Triforce! I’m not wise- I never have been. I’m just a stupid and pathetic failure…”

Link thought exactly the same thing about himself

Why was he ever given the Triforce of Courage? He wasn’t brave or courageous. He was a weak coward and his friends fell because of that.

Revali, the reason why the sun rose each morning and the reason why the birds sang, fell because he wasn’t stronger.

Revali, the reason why Link got up in the morning and the reason why he fought so valiantly, died because he couldn’t protect him.

To keep himself from becoming a sobbing mess, Link wrapped both his arms around Zelda and held onto her tightly. He rested his chin on her shoulder as she slowly found the composure to hug him back.

“You don’t bring shame to your bloodline. You’re the smartest person I know and I know that you did absolutely everything in your power to help your people. You did good,” Link told her, partially consoling himself as well as her. “There was no mistake; you deserve the Triforce and the whole world with it.”

That had seemed to calm Zelda down a little bit. Her tight grip on Link’s back loosened and her shrill crying softened to low, quiet weeping after a few deep, wavery breaths.

“It’s just...it isn’t…” She began in between sniffles. “It isn’t fair! They risked and lost their lives for us...Their souls weren’t allowed to move on for a full century and they never got a second chance…” Her firm grip returned. “...But _we_ always keep coming back! Always! Why _us?!_ Why _me?!”_

 _We always keep coming back,_ Link repeated in his head. _But…_

Link had an idea.

He pulled away from Zelda and looked down at her before taking her hands in his. His eyes began to sparkle, and she only looked up at him, confused, her eyes slowly dripping with the last remaining tears as she stopped crying. She saw the hopeful look in his eyes and it reflected in hers.

“I have an idea.”

“Link...what?”

“I’m really sorry to leave you like this,” he said, letting go of her hands and stepping backward. “But I’m gonna be away for awhile. You stay here and help.”

And then he ran off, warranting several “Link!”s as he rushed to his room to grab his things and ran to get his horse.

And then dashed out of the Domain, leading his horse along with him, paying no mind to the fact that the sky was still dark and the sun wouldn’t show its face for many hours still.

  


~~~

  


It was dawn by the time that Link had reached his destination.

The waking sun didn’t have much light to share, so he barely had any light at his disposal as he rode his horse to his destination before the orange and pink hues in the sky began to shine down on the ground below.

He raced to the East through Hyrule Fields, crossed Lake Hylia, and found his way into the Faron jungle by the time the sun started to peek over the horizon. From there, he followed the path until it became the Zonai Ruins, where he strayed from the path to go further into the forest and once he found himself at the shores of the Dracozu River, he followed it upstream.

As he followed the river, the sun found its way into the sky and its welcomed light crawled up over the hills and cliffs to reflect on the flowing river that eventually became The Serpent’s Jaws, the lake that opened up towards the Spring of Courage.

Link, thankful that his journey was almost over, slowed his horse’s pace from a fast trot to a slow walk. From where he was, he could see the Goddess Statue inside, shining like a beacon of light and beaconing for him to come ever closer.

He abided to her wishes, approaching the ruined temple. Once he got to the entrance, he dismounted and tied his horse’s reins to an old broken column and then started to walk inside alone.

Early sunlight seeped into the ruins through the cracks and rubble to highlight the Goddess statue's face and make the spring sparkle beautifully. As he walked closer, Link's gaze was fixated on the statue that stood on the other side of the water, but he stopped once he got to the stairs that lead up to the stone pedestal at the edge of the spring.

Link took a moment to take in the deepest of breaths before stepping up the stairs, then stood in the center of the pedestal. His eyes fell from the Goddess’ face as he turned his head down towards the ground below him, closed his eyes, and held his hands together.

Again, he took in a big breath of air, feeling the cold morning air fill his lungs, and whispered, “Goddess Hylia...can you hear me?”

Nothing. Only silence.

His face crinkled after he waited a few moments for an answer and he clasped his hands together even tighter when he didn’t get one. He licked his lips nervously as he quaked, “Please, Hylia. Please...I...I need…”

Again, there was nothing, except for the sound of the trees rustling outside and the birds waking up to sing their morning songs.

The desperation inside of him that he had been able to keep quiet for so long rose up into his belly and into his chest, suddenly becoming so heavy that he was afraid his legs would buckle underneath him. His eyes clenched tighter, trying to keep in the hot tears that threatened to escape, and he dug his fingernails into his hands.

“H-Hylia…” He shakily breathed. “I just... _Please._ I... I need…” A hiccup erupted from his throat, interrupting him. As soon as it did, more came despite Link’s attempts to hold them in, and it brought tears with them. The tears felt like fire in his eyes and his chest hurt more and more as he coughed, cried, whimpered, wailed, sobbed, more and more. It became impossible to talk and ask what he needed to ask now that he had become a sobbing mess at the steps of the spring.

But his crying stopped once he saw a light glow from his hand through his tears. He wiped them out of his eyes, even though more soon took their place, to see a glowing, golden triangle on the back of his hand.

The Triforce.

Link looked up to see that the Goddess Statue also start to shine in the same dazzling light.

Then a soft and silverly disembodied voice filled Link’s ears.

_“Hero, do not cry...I am here.”_

Link couldn’t help but gasp and stand up straight, quickly rubbing away at his eyes and nose shamefully.

_“There is no need to dry your tears. There is no shame in crying."_

Still, he cleaned his face of tears and mucus the best he could before he cried out, “Hylia, I-”

The voice stopped him. _“I know what it is you desire.”_ It lowered, almost like she became slightly annoyed. _“You want to bring the Champions back to life, do you not?”_

Link nodded his head so violently that it could have snapped off. “Yes! Yes, that’s right! I want to bring them back!”

_“You know, Hero, it is not that simple. I cannot raise mortals from the dead purely because you requested I do so.”_

“I know that it isn’t that simple,” he said. “I do. But...There must be _something_ I can do.”

 _“There is not,”_ she denied. _“I cannot make an exception for you or any other mortal, even though you may be the Hero.”_

That made Link realize something.

Overly excited, he couldn’t help but burst out, “But! I’m not entirely mortal, am I? My spirit isn’t. I’m reborn time and time again, always reincarnating.”

There was no response.

He would’ve thought the Goddess would have left if it wasn’t for the fact that the statue was still lit up with that white light.

So, he went on.

“Calamity Ganon gave up its incarnations, its spirit, to become that...thing. Couldn’t I do the same?”

 _“...Hero, are you insinuating that you mean to sacrifice your spirit?”_ Hylia finally responded, sounding unsure.

“Yes,” Link said and licked his lips nervously before explaining further. “Ganon had an immortal spirit like mine and the Triforce of Power, and I have the Triforce of Courage. And since it won't be coming back since it gave up reincarnating...There's no reason for me to come back again." His forehead crinkled as he got more agitated, desperate for Hylia’s credence. “So, why shouldn’t I have the ability to do the same thing? But instead of sacrificing it for power, I…” He trailed off and his voice went quiet. “...I use it to bring them back.”

Once again, there was no response, as if the Goddess was thinking.

After an intense few moments of silence, all she answered with was _“Perhaps…”_ Then Link could have sworn he heard her let out a sigh before she said, _“Sacrificing your very own spirit in order to give your companions another chance at life. Truly the way of the Hero.”_

Link's breath got caught in his throat and he frantically spouted, "So, I can?!”

Hylia let out an enthused chuckle and the light surrounding the statue seemed to shine a little brighter when she did. But quickly her voice went back to its very serious tone. _“You make an excellent point. If Calamity Ganon gave up its ability to reincarnate...then I suppose there is no sense in keeping your spirit bound here.”_ She sighed. _“And, I suppose that it would only be fair if you are given a reward for defeating the evil that has been plaguing Hyrule for tens of thousands of years. As well as for all the times you have done it before.”_

Link’s face broke into a smile so massive that his face hurt. He was genuinely surprised and totally overjoyed that Hylia, _The_ Goddess herself, actually agreed with him. He came here convinced that, if she even did decide to show herself, that she would deny his request and send him on his way. Guilt was apparently very powerful, even for the ethereal.

_“But you do understand what this entails, Hero?”_

His face fell. “What do you mean?”

 _“You essentially are going to have your hero’s spirit stripped away from you. You, of course, will still be you, but you will lose everything that you_ were. _You will lose all of your incarnations; they will no longer be a part of you. Your spirit will be put to rest.”_

“That’s...That’s fine! I don’t care!” He shouted and then gripped his chest. “You could take away every little piece of me, but I wouldn’t care if it meant I could bring them back.”

_...If I could bring Revali back._

Once again, Hylia went silent, but eventually asked, _“Do you have the Master Sword with you?”_

Link nodded and took the sword in question out of the sheath on his back. “Yes, of...of course.”

_“Come into the water. Bring it with you.”_

Link didn’t even think to strip off his clothes before stepping into the pool. The worry of having to ride back to Lanayru in soggy clothes was far from his mind.

The spring was so chilly that a shiver shot up his spine after he took the first few steps into the water, but it didn't phase him at all so he strode further in without stopping. The water around him rippled as he continued to walk, nearing the Goddess statue on the other side until he was right in front of it. He was now waist-deep in the water and the sword in his hands was just under the surface.

 _“Are you ready, Hero?”_ Hylia asked him.

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess,” Link said with a slight grin.

_“Close your eyes. And try not to move.”_

Without any warning, the statue blazed with a blinding light, filling the room with white. Link clenched his eyes shut, doing what the Goddess told him to do and also trying to protect his eyes from the painful light.

But then, the sound of ringing bells and wind chimes echoed all around him. In a moment of curiosity, he opened one eye to see where the sound was coming from.

And right in front of him, an apparition the shape of a celestial woman with long hair that floated behind her and massive feathered wings leaned out of the statue towards him. She shone with a brilliant, transparent yellow so bright that it reflected off of the water and her pupil-less eyes flickered iridescently.

She was larger than life, even bigger than any of the Great Fairies he had met on his travels. Her huge, translucent hand reached out for him as the ringing got louder and louder, to the point where it was deafening and Link was convinced his eardrums were going to split.

He shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself for whatever was going to come next, but all that came was the feeling of Hylia gently touching his chest with a single finger. From the tip of it came a warmth that lit up his chest.

And then something happened.

In his mind’s eye, Link saw several people with their backs turned toward him. When he called out to them, they stepped and turned to face him and gave him the most solemn smiles he had ever seen. He had never seen any of these people before, but each of their faces were so insanely familiar and in some way echoed his own.

Through their smiles, they tried to say something to him, but he couldn’t hear it over the sound of the chimes that rang in his ears.

And one by one, they started to fade away until he was all alone in the white space.

The pressure on his chest left, so he flicked open his eyes to see Hylia’s finger pull away.

And with it, Link felt something so much larger than his own body being slowly dragged out of him. It was so excruciating that he cried out and stumbled back, splashing the water around him.

He felt the thumping of countless heartbeats superimposed over his own. They got louder, harder, overbearing, beating against his chest with such force that he was absolutely sure he was going to burst.

Until, finally, everything stopped.

And the constant beat of his destiny finally silenced itself.

And he was only Link.

Just himself.

His eyes fluttered open to see a soft glow illuminate from both his chest and the Master Sword in his hands and then steadily go out.

He felt...so much lighter. Like a heavyweight that had been weighing him down for years was finally lifted; one that he never noticed was even there.

The sword in his hands also felt like it barely weighed anything now. How...

Link looked up in time to see the apparition step back into the statue and disappear. The light that surrounded the statue since before he arrived went dimmer and dimmer, taking all the light in the room with it. The ringing of bells quieted as well, leaving the ruins feeling empty and barren.

“Wait!” He screamed, reaching out to the statue in front of him. “Wait! Where are they?! Are they back? Where do I-”

 _“Link,”_ the voice returned to say, though it was drifting off along with the light. _“Patience. You will see them soon.”_

Quickly after she said this, all remains of the Goddess vanished and he was left by himself in the dark.

_"Very soon."_

Link looked down at the sword in his hand and shakily breathed, trying to steady himself and trying to keep from crying. The sword shook in his hands and he gripped onto it as if it was his lifeline.

He had already waited for so long...Why couldn’t he see them _now?_ Why couldn’t he see Revali _now?_ He had just given up so much and he _still_ had to wait longer?

He didn’t want to wait anymore to see Revali. To see the way his smirk crinkled his beak. To see his piercing green eyes looking at him. To feel his touch and feel his tenderness again.

He wiped at his eyes and then turned around to see the entrance into the spring. When he first came in, the sun was barely up and everything outside was still dark. But now, the sun shone outside, gracing the world below with its light and its warmth. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was clear.

Link breathed deeply, steadying himself before he turned around to walk out of the water and make his way back to Zelda in Lanayru.

He could…

He could wait a little longer.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk why i associate bells and chimes with hylia i just DO??


	3. Reunite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow zack! Updating fics twice in one day???  
> yes :)  
> tonight we feast :)  
> OH YES!!! the idea of the terminal blooming like a flower comes from [ raooul ](https://raooul.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!!! thank you....

 

 

 

_ Suddenly, he woke up. _

_ He woke up to find his lungs full of a thick fluid. The same thick fluid that surrounded his entire body. _

_ He opened his eyes to find himself encased in a small space. Trapped. Confined. _

_ All he could see around him was blue as he twisted around to the best of his ability to find a way out. _

_ But once he began to panic and writhe around in desperation, the walls around him began to open outwards. It bloomed like a flower, releasing him and all the liquid inside that encompassed him. _

_ He was so weak that the fluid easily swept him out of his prison and his legs buckled underneath him. Pathetically, he collapsed to the ground in a heap. Gasping for air, he choked and coughed, all while trying to gain just enough strength to lift his head up to gauge his surroundings _

_ Luckily his eyes lifted to find a familiar sight; the top floor of Vah Medoh. Confused and in a misty daze, he then peeked over his shoulder to see the main terminal of the Divine Beast behind him, but curled open like a newly blossomed spring flower with the fluid that was inside still slowly dripping out. _

_ He resisted the urge to collapse back into the ground and instead, with the little bit of strength he had left within him, tried to lift himself up with his elbows, no matter how heavy his entire body felt. _

_ He had to get to Link. _

_ He had to figure out where he was as soon as possible so he could return to him… _

_ He had to… _

_ With everything he had, he planted his hands on the stone ground and pushed himself up, only for his arms under him to give up and send up plummeting back down. _

_ He needed to get to Link, but… _

_ But, gods, was he ever so tired… _

_ With one last cough, he attempted to get on his feet so he could just, for the love of Hylia, be with the one he loved again. _

_ But it was a fruitless effort and he fell back down, where he laid in a pool of blue liquid as the rough winds of the high air tossed his feathers and hair around him. _

_ He was… _

_ He was exhausted. _

_ Closing his eyes, he found himself drifting off, far far away. _

_ But he would come back. _

  
  


~~~

 

Three days.

Link only had to wait three days.

But they were the longest days in his whole entire life, entirely spent checking over his shoulder to see if one of the Champions, especially Revali, was right there behind him. 

But he never saw him.

He never came.

He never heard any word. 

Every night he would stare up at the ceiling with watery eyes, just waiting for some sort of sign that his sacrifice actually worked. That it wasn't all for nothing. 

It was on the third day that Link ran around his house in Hateno to shove random things into his bag. He was impatient and restless now and decided to drop everything to travel to Tabantha, hopeful that Revali would be there waiting for him or if he could at least find any intel about where he might be.

But it was then that there was a knock at the door. 

An even brighter hope fluttered his chest when he heard it and it left him stagnant. All he could do was stare at the door while his heart beat faster and faster.

When a more frantic knocking came from the door again, Link scrambled onto his feet to rush to the door and swing it open.

And...gods…

There he was.

There he finally was.

As handsome and gorgeous as he remembered him.

The rising sun was at his back as he stood in the doorway, illuminating him in a way that was not unlike a halo. 

His dark navy feathers shone iridescently in the light and his usual braids were undone so his long hair flowed over his shoulders.

And his eyes...those emerald eyes that Link fell so deeply in love with looked down at him and made his heart both leap and drop at the same time.

With a shaky hand, he reached out to touch his face to make sure he was really here...that this wasn't his imagination. 

When his fingers met soft feathers, he knew it was true and tears rose in his eyes. 

"R...Revali…?" Link murmured with a voice so brittle it could break.

Revali rose a hand to wipe away Link's tears that began to stream down his cheeks, even though his own eyes began to well up. "Yes… I'm here, Link. I'm finally here, darling."

Link broke into a hard sob and jumped forward to wrap his arms around him. More and more tears started to fall as he nuzzled into Revali's chest and felt his warm feathers on his wet cheeks.

Revali held him back, resting his chin on Link's shoulder as he drew him closer and embraced him with his wings. He tried not to cry, but it eventually became too much for him and a sob escaped, leading into several whimpers, cries, and wavering breaths.

Soon both of them couldn't hold themselves up anymore and they fell down onto the ground underneath them. That didn't stop them from holding each other as close as possible and sobbing into one another.

"I-I can't believe you're here...You're really...You're really h-here."

"I'm sorry I couldn’t have been here sooner. I was too weak to fly to you when I woke. But I came as soon as I could beat my wings. I couldn't wait any longer to see you...to be with you...to hold you."

"I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you," Link repeated over and over again, his voice gradually getting weaker and more warbled as his cries took over.

"I love you, Link. My sun, my moon, my stars, my sky, my wind...Gods, I love you. I missed you, darling. I love you."

And it was there in the doorway that they gripped onto each other, crying and murmuring 'I love you's for what felt like an eternity. 

Once they were totally convinced that it wasn’t a dream and that they were really in front of each other, Link led Revali up the stairs to the bed. There, they crawled under the covers and held on to each other tightly, afraid that if they ever let go, the other would disappear.

They spent the next few hours staring at each other with eyes filled with love and legs tangled together. They whispered sweet, sweet nothings for hours on end, feeling the other’s warmth and enjoying one another’s touch after so long.

Eventually, they drifted off to sleep, both so happy to be at home again and finally feeling at peace for the first time in over a century.

 

~~~

 

Link woke up later to another knock at the door.

He sat up in bed, hair stuck to his face with his slobber.

When he tried to get up out of bed, Revali, in his sleep, wrapped his wing around his waist and groggily pulled him back down towards him.

Looking down at his sweet, sleeping face, it took everything inside of Link to gently grab Revali’s arm and move it so he could get up, stumble down the stairs and answer the door.

And there was Zelda, her green eyes wide and sparkling and an excitable grin spread out on her lips.

Link rubbed the drowsiness from his eyes as she, not bothering to wait for an invitation, stepped around him inside and grabbed his hand. “Link!” She spewed eagerly.

“Zelda,” he yawned.

“The Champions! They- I got word that they’re-” Zelda stopped squealing suddenly and her eyes flicked upward. The massive grin on her face disappeared suddenly.

Link looked behind him to see Revali sitting up in bed upstairs, rubbing at his eyes, and grumbling something unintelligibly with disdain. 

Zelda’s smile quickly returned tenfold at seeing her old friend and she screeched, “Revali!” before letting go of Link’s hand and dashing up the stairs.

Poor Revali had no time to ready himself for Zelda leaping forward and pulling him into a hug. Letting out a startled squawk, he fell back onto his elbows. “Zelda?!” He opened his beak to probably bark something rude to coat his excitement at seeing her for the first time in a hundred years, but luckily she interrupted him with a much louder cheer.

“Goddess above! I can’t believe you’re really here! Alive...In the flesh…”

Link’s face brightened into a smile as he walked up the stairs back to the bedroom to see Revali letting go of his facade and letting his beak break into a grin.

“Feathers and all, princess.” As he sat up, he placed a gentle hand on Zelda’s back and the other ran his fingers through her hair. “I see you cut your hair. I have to admit, it suits you quite nicely.”

Tears sprung into her eyes as she quickly folded her arms around Revali again. The Rito’s grin never faltered and he patted her head gingerly. Link came to climb onto the bed next to them and embrace the other two so that they became a warm huddle.

“A miracle, isn’t it?” Link murmured while wiping the tears out of Zelda’s eyes as she pulled away from Revali’s chest to look up at the other two.

“Yes, nothing short of a miracle. A blessing from the Goddess herself.” For a second, her gaze lingered on Link for far too long and he knew in her eyes what she was thinking.

_ What did you do? _

But she knew better than to ask out loud now. That was a question for later.

“We all must meet. Finally, we can all be together again, as we were before,” Zelda spouted, flicking her eyes back to Revali.

He blinked and his beak hung ajar. “The others…? They’re alive?”

“Yes! Urbosa, Daruk, Mipha...Everyone!” Leaving Revali in a happy daze, she sprang up. “I will send word. Tomorrow, we will all meet. A reunion!” She turned around to dash down the stairs, but Revali stopped her.

“Let me, Zelda. I can do-” He interrupted himself with a pained grunt when he tried to stand up and put all his weight on his feet. Link was quick to hold out his arms to steady him back down to the bed.

“No, no! Revali, you need your rest. You’ve quite literally been to hell and back. I will ride tonight and send messages for the others.” She pointed at Link, a serious look taking over her face. “Sacred Ground Ruins at noon. Don’t be late.”

Link squinted. “I won’t be-”

_ “Don’t be late!”  _ Zelda yelled before twisting around on her heels and sprinting down the stairs toward the door. “Until tomorrow, you two!” 

And then suddenly, she was gone, a slam of the door following behind.

Revali and Link looked towards each other and their expressions melted into sweet smiles.

“As high energy as ever, yes?” Revali asked.

“Yes,” Link answered. “Seems like she always has an endless supply of it.”

Revali let out a soft chuckle before falling back into the bed, his head hitting the pillow. “I wish I could say the same. We just slept the day away, and yet I’ve never felt so tired.” 

“Same here.” 

With a snide smirk, Revali reached up to touch Link’s cheek. “You’re just lazy,” he cooed.

Link furrowed his brows. “I am not! I just- I…” He put his hand on Revali’s and looked away. “It’s been so long since we could cuddle and sleep together. I feel like I can actually rest now that you’re here with me.”

Sitting back up, Revali held Link’s cheek with his other hand and looked Link over with his enchanting, emerald eyes. Link’s cheeks began to flush and his heart pattered against his chest, reacting to Revali’s piercing gaze the way he always had.

Thumbs brushing Link’s cheeks, Revali leaned further down so he could nuzzle against Link’s temples and whisper, “Will you be writing poetry of me as well now?”

With a grumble, Link snapped his head away. “Don’t make fun of me.”

Revali snickered and nuzzled Link again. “Oh dear, is my hero embarrassed?” He crooned.

Link’s grumbling gradually got louder until he grabbed Revali by his shoulders and knocked him into the bed. Revali yipped out of surprise and stared up at Link who was still pinning him down into the mattress. His navy feathers ruffled and his green eyes widened.

It was Link’s turn to lean down to close the gap between their faces and softly say, mocking Revali, “Oh goodness me, is the Rito Champion himself  _ flustered?”  _

Instantly, the avian’s eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. He gripped onto Link to toss him to the side in a huff. “Get off me. You’re heavy. And be quiet.”

Link landed on his face and stifled a laugh as he rolled off his stomach onto his side. Then he watched as Revali began to unbuckle armor and throw it in a heap on the ground, an annoyed expression on his face still lingering.

Faking a gasp, Link brought a hand to his mouth and sarcastically exclaimed, “R-Revali! I thought you said you were tired! I didn’t realize that you wanted to-”

Revali’s feathers immediately puffed out until he became a blue cotton ball and he shrieked,  _ “Gods no!  _ I told you to be quiet! My armor kept making my wings fall asleep!” He tore off his scarf and threw it into Link’s face. “You’re ridiculous!”

Laughing again, Link took the scarf off his face to see that Revali was already laying down, facing away from him. After tossing the scarf onto the floor, he followed suit and took his own armor off. He flopped back into the bed and cuddled into Revali’s back, who scooted away from him. In retaliation, Link swung his arms around Revali and held him close so he couldn’t get away.

Revali growled in irritation but stopped when Link started kissing the back of his neck. 

“Your feathers are as soft as I remember.”

“You’re as annoying as I remember,” Revali spat under his breath.

Link said nothing, only chuckling as he continued to kiss Revali’s neck and his shoulders. Revali started to hum happily as Link kissed him and let out a sweet sigh when Link nestled further into him and slid his hand down Revali’s wing to hold his hand. 

They laid there quietly for a moment, gratefully enjoying each other’s warmth and presence. Their bodies perfectly fit together like two puzzle pieces, just like they were meant to be with each other and hold each other forever. And Link wished they could.

“I love you,” Revali whispered, breaking the silence. 

“I love you more,” Link said wistfully. 

“I love you most.”

  
  


~~~

  
  


The sun was at its highest point in the sky when they arrived at the Sacred Grounds Ruins. In fear of getting his ear yanked off by Zelda by being late, Link insisted they left early so they could be one of the first to get there. He convinced Revali to ride with him on his horse, considering that Revali’s wings were still recovering from forcing them to fly far so soon after his resurrection.

Link was very pleased to find that they were the first ones there and gave Zelda a smug grin when she arrived shortly afterward. The look on her face made them both smirk.

Mipha came soon after. Her red scales sparkled beautifully in the sunlight and her golden eyes glimmered with tears as soon as she saw the other three. She dropped her trident to run full force with arms outstretched and, beside herself, dove into them. She touched each of their faces with her fingers, still in disbelief of the moment, tears racing down his cheeks as she did.

Urbosa was next to come, although no one saw her coming. Suddenly the four of them were scooped up off the ground as a familiar, bold voice chimed in with the biggest grin anyone had ever seen her make. Everyone cheered when they saw who it was and she was just starting to give Zelda a motherly kiss on the forehead when she let out a startled gasp at being picked up herself.

Daruk had the same idea; somehow sneaking up on everyone to hoist them all up and swing them around and around as they shouted his name. Revali, with startled fury, and everyone else with delight.

After he put them down, everyone circled around to personally hug each other and exchange words and tears. No one could believe that the others were right there in front of them, so they all had to touch everybody’s face, hands, shoulders, or whatever, to make sure that it was all real. Even Revali didn’t hold back, so overcome with overwhelming happiness that he didn’t shy away from cupping Mipha’s cheek with his hand, interlocking his fingers with Urbosa's and resting his wing on Daruk’s shoulder.

They were all back together. And even without the spirit that had made Link the legendary hero, he felt whole again. Complete.

 

When everyone was distracted, Zelda grabbed onto Link’s arm and pulled him aside from the others. She led him to the farthest corner in the runs before letting go of his hand.

And she finally asked the question that she said with her eyes the day before.

“What did you do?”

She looked almost scared, terrified. It was clear that she was having the most conflict of feelings. On one hand, she was over the moon to see her dear friends again and her burden of their deaths were lifted, but on the other…

“Don’t worry about it,” Link said flatly.

_ “Don’t worry about it?!”  _ Zelda snapped and jabbed her finger into his chest. “How could I not? You left four days ago without taking a second to explain yourself and then suddenly everyone has been resurrected? Brought back to life?” Her eyes narrowed into two bitter slits and her brows knitted together. “Link, what have you done?”

Silently, he looked away from her to set his eyes on his friends. To see their arms wrapped around each other as happiness no one could ever hope to know filled them up to their brim and escaped in massive smiles and hot tears. To see Revali grinning from ear to ear and brightening the air with his laughter.

He flicked his eyes back to Zelda to give her his answer. “I sacrificed my spirit.”

Zelda’s two green slits became massive circles and her face darkened. “You  _ what?!” _

“I sacrificed my hero’s spirit...all of my incarnations...to bring them back. I gave it and all my power to Hylia in exchange for their lives. No more triforce. No more reincarnating. I’m completely mortal now, Zelda.”

She could only stare up at him in fearful silence before she dove forward to grab his collar. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve broken the cycle! You can never come back-”

Calmly, Link put his hand on Zelda’s fist and said, “Ganon gave up its reincarnation at the end, too, remember? There’s no reason for me to come back. Hyrule is free.” 

Zelda’s eyes swam with tears and any words she tried to say got caught in her throat.

“It was funny, you know. I felt all my past incarnations at once before they were ripped out of me. I saw all their faces. Heard all their voices. I couldn’t understand them, honestly, but I think they’re thankful. And after they were gone, I felt a thousand times lighter. All this weight...gone.” He tightened his grip on her fist. “They’re free now, Zelda.”

Her tears started to streak down her face and she took her hand away to rub both of her eyes. “But...Link- You-” 

Link stopped her by touching her cheek and gently moving her head to look at their four friends. They were still laughing with utter glee and beaming with such joy. 

“It may have been a big risk. A big price to pay.”

His own eyes fell on Revali, who must’ve felt his eyes on him because he blinked and turned his head to give Link a loving smile that fluttered Link’s heart.

“But it was well worth it.”

 

 

 

 


End file.
